Online Reporter
Collin Matiza-Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Redmark Group Open Squash Tournament, hosted by the Zimbabwe Education Squash Trust operating as Belgravia Squash Academy, concluded successfully at the weekend at Belgravia Sports Club in Harare with a strong turnout and excellent competition.
And Brett Rayners reigned supreme in the senior men’s section in which he emerged as the top dog ahead of Talent and Roy Jambo who settled for second and third place.
Rayners was just in a class of his own during this two-day event which got underway on Friday and concluded on Saturday evening.
He was emulated by seasoned campaigner Polite Mubure who grabbed the gold medal in the senior women’s section.
Heather Hudebwe came second ahead of Nyaradzo Muwando.
In the juniors section, there was no stopping Lewin Njekezana who walked away with the boys Under-11 title.
Alex Varie and Sebastian Home came second and third.
Kiara Varie was all smiles after grabbing the girls Under-11 overall title ahead of Molly William and Gabrielle Chukuhwa. The top three places in the boys Under-13 competition went to Luke Francis, Elijah Horne and Taurai Mundoza. Taryn Mavhudzi was the star of the show in the boys Under-19 section which he won ahead of Malachi Osuji and Godfrey Muchara.
And at the business end of the tournament on Saturday evening, Ruvarashe Zengeya was voted the Most Improved Player while Divine Mushati grabbed the Most Committed Player award.
The event attracted around 50 participants across junior, senior men’s, women’s, and Masters categories.
The event even had an international interest — Jason Varie and his two children registered for the tournament while still in the United Kingdom.
Their participation shows just how far the word is spreading as ZEST continue in their quest to grow the sport of squash in Zimbabwe.
Varie is a highly competitive player and he gave the local youngsters a real wake-up call on the court.
Players praised the atmosphere and level of play, with many requesting more tournaments in the future.
“The competition was very tough across all divisions,” said Mashumba Mukumba, the ZEST director. “Players really enjoyed the tournament and the turnout was very good. The biggest success is that everyone left wanting more events. That shows squash is growing in the community.”
ZEST extended their sincere thanks to Belgravia Sports Club for hosting the tournament.
“Belgravia Sports Club gave us an excellent venue and it is situated centrally, making it accessible for players from across Harare. We are grateful for their continued support,” added Mukumba.
The tournament featured a wide range of prizes including rackets, medals, and cash, aimed at encouraging participation from juniors through to adults.
Speaking at the prize giving ceremony, Milton Manyangadze, the director of Redmark Group, who sponsored this event, expressed pride in the partnership with ZEST.
“We are very proud to sponsor ZEST and we look forward to a long-term partnership,” Manyangadze said.
“From what we have seen at this tournament, this sponsorship will go a long way. It engages the community from juniors to adults, and that is how we build the future of squash in Zimbabwe.”
ZEST reaffirmed its commitment to developing squash pathways from school programmes to national and international competitions, especially with squash set to debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
